Local Catholic schools set for fee hike under Turnbull

Member for Isaacs Mark Dreyfus today joined St Patrick’s Parish Primary School principal Tim Noonan in Mentone to learn about how Turnbull’s cuts to local Catholic schools will hurt families in Melbourne’s South-East.

The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP

Shadow Attorney General Shadow Minister for National SecurityFederal Member for Isaacs

LOCAL CATHOLIC SCHOOLS SET FOR FEE HIKE UNDER TURNBULL

Member for Isaacs Mark Dreyfus today joined St Patrick’s Parish Primary School principal Tim Noonan in Mentone to learn about how Turnbull’s cuts to local Catholic schools will hurt families in Melbourne’s South-East.

“I have been contacted by many local families concerned about the Turnbull Government’s cuts to Catholic schools,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“Parents are worried that school fees for their children will skyrocket as the Turnbull Government fails to support the Catholic education sector.”

The Catholic Education Office’s figures show that the impact on schools in the Isaacs electorate could force fees at some local parish schools to increase by as much as 90% if the Turnbull government does not reverse these cuts. This would be devastating for the sector. Fees would increase and schools could struggle to maintain student enrolments.

“I am strongly against these cuts to local Catholic schools,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“Local Catholic schools in the Isaacs electorate are not wealthy schools, they are schools that many local families choose to send their children to because of their good reputation as centres of education and which low and middle-income families often save very hard to pay for the fees.”

“Labor’s plan, based on the recommendations of the original schools funding report by David Gonski, would see every school in the country better off. Catholic schools would be $1.6 billion better off over six years under Labor, without further shifting the cost burden to parents. My Labor colleagues will stand with local Catholic schools and oppose Turnbull’s cuts.”

The Catholic Education Office provided the below estimate of what increase in fees would be required at St Patrick’s Primary School, Mentone.